Furniture



Aug. 28, 1 923.

- c. F. MEILINK FURNITEJRE Filed July 12, 1918 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. '28, I923. 166,138

c. F. MEILINK FURNITURE Fild July 12. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/ENTOH FIG '3 CLAW/AM rarer 'eei.

, CHARLES 13. MEILINK, or ronnno, QIIIQ.

FURNITURE.

Application filed July 12,"

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crmnnns F. Mnnenvn, a citizen of the United States of Iimerica,v residing at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to platform structures, especially inseparable collapsible unit devices. v

This invention has utility when incorporated in sheet metal tables, for instance. tables for surgical use, as-it may be given an enamel finish to render sanitary. while it is of great strength and of light weight thus making it a practical device having inherent practical advantages for compact ready transport, as in war medical service.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, with afragment b-rokenway, of a sheet or wrought metal surgical table embodying features of the invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the leg or support mounting brackets or pivot bearings carried on the underside of the table top or platform for the article of furniture;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table collapsed;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a support or table leg;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view, with parts broken away, of the table in collapsed posi tion;

Fig. .6 is a fragmentary elevation, on an enlarged scale from the inside of one leg of each end pair, with the foldable connecting; brace;

Fig. 7 is a s P Fig. 8 is a detail View of the guide for the pin of Fig. 7; a

Fig. 9 is a detail of the foldable brace end or hook tobe engaged by the locking p Fig. 10 is a view of the medial hinge or joint ofthe foldable brace; and v Fig. 11 is a view of the fixed or permanent bearing end of the foldable brace.

The table top lmay be of sheet metal, and for surgical use is preferably white enamel finished and provided with a slight rise or upstanding peripheral bead 2 and a down view of the foldable brace lockwardly extending flange or skirt 3.there- 1918. Serial No. 244,535.

from the table top, while low upstanding flanges 7, 8, insure the base portions from buckling action'at the weld heating or from load strains, thus keeping distortion from, such source being transmitted to the table top proper. Further stiitening of these leg.

or support brackets is had by the main flange 9 between the flanges 7, 8. Parallel to flange 9 is the tongue 10 bent from between the portions 5, 6. Ajthree-sided boxelement 11 is electric welded to flange 9 and tongue 10..

This completes a rigid bearing bracket for pivotally mounting, by pin 12, angle metal legs or supports 13, which when set up ex tend vertically downward to outwardly 01? set bases or terminal portions. 14. These may rest one pairupon the other, as one'pair has its pivotal. connection further away from the underside of the table top than the other pair of legs13. Thus the shorter bracket mounting .allows that pair of legs to fold adjacentthe table top, when folding parallel thereto with the other pair of legs thereagainst, while the offset portions 14 of the four legs will clear the leg mounting brackets and may still protrude a minimum distance beyond the table top when the table top is o'f a dimension such as shown 18'. x 30". V i

In this oblong type of table top, the end legs are grouped as separately hinged pairs,

each palr being a stiffened unit as'rigidly 2 held bythe upper fixed channel braces 15 andthe lower fixed channel braces 16. One end of each-channel 16 in a leg 13 has rivet or fixed non-removable pin .17 passing through the stiffened ears 18 of section 19 as anelement of a toldable channel brace. Rem'ote from the ears 18, channel brace section 19 carries reinforced bearing portions 20 for fixed hinge pin 21 providing .a medial fold or joint engaging ears 22 of a second channel element 23 of the foldable brace. This brace is so proportioned that in collapsed position it will fold into the channel 16 to which it is pivoted. The channels 15, 16, are conveniently spot welded to the legs 18. The remote or free end of foldable brace section 23 terminates as to its web in a long hook 24 for snug fitting throughout its extent against the end of brace 16 not carrying rivet 17. a Such leg 13 at this point carries over the channel 16, a guide for a pin 26, which when thrown downward, passes through openings 27 in the flangesof the brace 16 and through the hook 24c. The snug long contact bearingbetween pin 26, hook 2st and channel 16, afford rigid set up locking means in maintaining straight line'assembly pos 1- pairsof legs and the low space maintaining foldable braces 19, 23.

To knock down, the angle end 28 of pin 26 is guided upward in the slot 29 of the guide 25. hen withdrawn clear of upper opening 27, or rather clear of hook 25%, an angular shifting of the pin 26, will throw stud 30 thereof into side holding notch 31, against return to holding position. A lug 32 on leg 13 precludes complete withdrawal of the pin 26. With pin 26 clear of brace section 23, it may be folded against section 19, with the flanges toward each other, and these two sections swung into the brace 16, and the 7 leg pair more closely mounted to the top .1,

swung thereagainst, and then the other pair swung down thereover. Accordingly there is a compact and complete knock-down'article of light rigid furniture with no element thereof disconnectable for loss in normal handling.

W hat is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet metal furniture structure comprising a platform, sustaining means therefor in unitary assembly therewith in set up and in knock down condition and including two pairs of supports, bracing means between the supports and connected thereto independent of the platform, and means pivoting one pair of supports further from the platform than the other pair thereof.

2. A metal furniture structure comprising 3. A knock down metal furniture unit' comprising a platform-,two pairs of brackets fixed thereto, one pair of said brackets havbearings a different distance from the platform than the other pair, inwardly foldable supports carried by the bracket bearings, bracing means connecting the supports in pairs corresponding to said brackets, and additional locking and bracing means hinge mounted to the supports and. coacting to maintain the supports in set up position.

4. A sheet metal table comprising a top, four brackets in a rectangular group fixed to the underside of the top, supports pivotally connected to the brackets and having the lower ends flaring outwardly to clear one bracket when swung from another bracket and bracing means connecting the adjacent supports as two unitary pairs for swinging on their pivotal connections to the table top.

5. A collapsible table'compris ing a table top of peripherally flanged sheet metal, foldable legs therefor provided with stiffening means including a channel brace having a terminal hook, a perforated lug carrying seat in a leg, and a pin operable through the seat lugs for detachably connecting the hook to a leg.

6. A metal furniture structure platform, foldable sustaining means therefor including pairs of supports pivotally connected to the platform, a rigid channel brace fixed be tween the supports of a pair independently of the platform, and a channel brace outwardly foldable from said brace for detach: able connection to another pair of supports. In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES F. MEILINK. 

